Fabulous season ends at 12-12
By: John E. Powers
HIGHLAND PARK A year ago, the Manville High School girls’ basketball team gathered for the last time, looking back at a 6-15 record and an uncertain future. How much difference a year can make.
Last Thursday, though disappointed in the wake of a 35-25 setback to top-seeded Highland Park in the Central Jersey Group 1 playoffs, the eighth-seeded Lady Mustangs set off for spring with an eager eye toward what they need to do to take their improvement a step further.
Head coach Paul Lenihan and his team can take a lot of positives into the post-season after a productive campaign that ended at 12-12 and the team’s first state playoff appearance since 1991. But the ills that plagued the team through many of its losses surfaced again against Highland Park and eventually led the team to its state tournament ouster.
The critical sequence between winning and losing came early in the second half. Owl point guard Corrie McIntyre, who had 12 of her 14 points in the second half, rebounded a Lindsay Walker miss with a put-back to give her team a 21-11 lead with 6:03 left in the third quarter. That’s when Mustang junior guard Rachel Rivera hit consecutive 3-pointers to give the visiting side some desperately needed momentum.
"They weren’t just prayers, they were good shots and good looks," Lenihan said.
Walker followed with a close-range jumper to boost the lead back to 23-17, but Manville sophomore center Amy Ortman answered with a put-back to pull the Mustangs to within four at 23-19 with 3:18 left in the third.
The Mustangs couldn’t get closer, although they had two chances to close the deficit to two points. Lauren Stevenson converted on a short jumper and McIntyre hit a driving layup and it was 27-19 Highland Park with 2:30 left.
Diana Weaver cut the margin to six with two free throws with 1:15 left in the third quarter. But six straight points four coming from McIntyre pumped the lead back to 33-21 with 3:43 left in the game. Manville simply couldn’t do what it battled all year hit an outside shot. As was their staple throughout the season, the Lady Mustangs didn’t quit, pressing the Owls until the end. But it just wasn’t enough.
"We worked hard right to the end, the kids were diving to the floor right to the end," said Lenihan, who had a gratifying year after moving from the boys’ program last year to the girls’ team this year. "We just have to find a shooter’s mentality. We have to be in a situation where our shooter won’t be reluctant if one or two shots don’t fall. We have to keep trying."
In crunch time in the fourth quarter, with the game still within reach, the Mustangs could muster just four points two free throws and a bucket from Ortman.
"We seem to look reluctant at times when we need a big shot and we got caught up in their pace there after we got close," junior forward Kristin Shubiak said. "Rachel stepped up there, but we needed somebody else."
Sophomore Heather Mathieu, who had shown much promise throughout the year by leading the team in scoring several times, was held scoreless. But Matheiu couldn’t get the kind of open looks that she had gotten in some of the team’s previous games.
With every player expected back next season, Lenihan looked at the Highland Park as just a lesson for a team still developing.
"We had a great run and we have the makings of a real good team here," Lenihan said. "We made some turnovers today and that’s going to cost you against any team you play. And Highland Park had a size advantage as well.
"But you know that’s part of the experience. The kids know what they have to work on. We need to improve our individual skills. But that’s not taking away what we did.”